Here’s a great review of Tom Layland’s first 70.3 race at Ironman Bolton 70.3
The feeling of hitting that red carpet is incomparable to anything!
When I first booked Bolton 70.3 in October, I could only swim breast stroke (poorly) I tried swimming freestyle to only manage a grand total of 5 metres before being unable to breathe so 1900m in one go seemed impossible. I wasn’t a strong runner maybe only ever running 8-12km so to think of doing 21km after every other discipline seemed impossible. As for the bike I had dabbled on my girlfriend’s turbo trainer a few times but only the odd 20-minute workout, certainly not 90km.
By Christmas I was getting there with running, stronger on the bike (turbo still) and STILL couldn’t swim, think I was able to do one full length before being unable to breathe. To throw a spanner in the works I got sent to France to work away for 3 months with no access to a swimming pool or bike, but I was able to focus fully on running which improved massively over the time I was there. New road bike ordered ready to ride when I got home. When I returned home still not being able to swim, I thought 1.9km was impossible and the thought of cancelling the race was very very high, however, I thought i’ll just give 100% for the next 3 months and if I DNF at least I’ve tried.
Week by week running and cycling became very strong, I could comfortably run the distance and cycle well over 90km with lots of hills. Still hating every single second of swimming but forcing myself to turn up to the Total Transition Tri Club sessions at Europa at 9pm twice a week, every week, without missing a session, for an hour of absolute hell. After about 2 months it was all starting to come together and I couldn’t believe it, mixed with a few open water swims I was starting to finally think I might be able to swim the distance. Still miles away from a decent swimmer I was at least feeling a lot more confident.
The day before
The day before was very stressful having to sort out all the transition bags which I’d never done before but after checking my list 1000 times, I was satisfied I’d not missed anything and I could finally relax. Thinking about the race to come I started thinking of what time I’d finish in. 45 minutes on the swim, 3 hours on the bike and a 2 hour half marathon seemed doable and, with transitions included, would put me very close to SUB 6 HOURS.
Race morning
On the morning of the race I had no nerves, only pure excitement. All I could picture was running over that red carpet with my hands in the air, the only thing I’d pictured for months and months. I turned up at the swim and it looked MASSIVE, thankfully I’d practiced swimming in West Kirby marine lake which looks a lot further than it is so that’s all I thought about.
The swim
After the DJ pumped everyone up with Thunderstruck by ACDC at max volume at 6;15 in the morning how could I not be ready to swim like I’ve never swam before? I stood towards the back of the 40-minute bracket and next thing I was at the front of the queue and ready to jump into the water, not a single nerve. I started swimming and next thing I knew I was 750m in at the first buoy to turn ( I was actually doing it ) I had to stop a few times as people in front of me had stopped and I had to swim around them. I didn’t feel comfortable swimming over somebody. Next thing I knew I could hear the music again and I had nearly completed the swim and I was actually enjoying it, not once did I think this isn’t enjoyable. Out the water and I couldn’t stop smiling. I couldn’t believe what I’d just done. Official time 41:55, coming out the water 860th overall.
The bike
The bike I felt very comfortable. I knew it started fairly flat and the second portion was hilly so I planned to hit the first half hard and then take my time on the hills when they came, so I put my head down and pedalled as hard as I physically could. Nearly every single person I went passed with their name on their belt I made sure to encourage them which gave me positive energy back and next thing I know I was 40km in. The hills came the second half of the course but I coped very well with them and didn’t really struggle once, just put my head down and dealt with what came. “On your right” is pretty much all I said for the whole 90km. I really enjoyed the bike course and thankfully there was no rain. The spectators definitely helped and coming in to T2 I saw my family cheer me and next thing I knew 90km was done. Official bike time 2:48. Now in 235th. I’d overtaken 625 people!
The run
The plan was to take the first half of the run easy with enough in the tank to finish strong. I really underestimated how hard the run would be. After doing lots of brick workouts leading up to the race, I didn’t think the run would be a struggle at all, but was I wrong. The first 4km I felt good and had to slow myself down, but this didn’t last long. After the first hill came, I thought oh no I’m in trouble here, head down but struggling I wanted to try do the first 10km in under an hour so hopefully complete the run in under 2 hours.
First lap complete, just under an hour. The second lap was the hardest as I knew what was to come but I could also better pace myself, easy on the hills and try pick up the pace on the downs. The run was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, it made everything else seem so easy. The amount of times I nearly stopped but after roughly working out in my head my times for the day I knew I needed under 2 hours to succeed sub 6 for the day. 3km left I started to increase my pace, I had nearly completed it, I could hear the announcer congratulating people as they were crossing the line – this was about to be me! 
Looked at my watched 800m to go. Time to sprint, my heart rate must have been 200bpm purely with adrenaline, I could see the red carpet, my family and friends cheering me on as a I turned the corner and goose bumps overtook my body. I was on the red carpet!
I looked up as I crossed the line 5:36:59. I couldn’t believe it. I had done it! All of them hours and hours of training had been worth it, and I’d never felt anything like it.
